Palloff, R. M. & Pratt K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.
Chapter 1: When Teaching and Learning Leave the Classroom As the process of education changes, it becomes important to examine what elements make online learning successful for students and teachers alike.A common theme throughout this chapter is the formation of a learning community in which knowledge and meaning are shared to create successful learning outcomes.As stated by the author, “Key to the learning process are the interactions among students themselves, the interactions between faculty and students, and the collaboration in learning that results from these interactions” (Palloff, Pratt 2007). Recent research studies regarding the importance of community in an online course and in online teaching has been found to be a key to successful online.Students need to experience “social presence” which is defined as the ability to portray oneself as a “real” person in the online environment. In this environment, not only are students experiencing a change in learning, but teachers are rethinking how they teach, redefining learning objectives, re evaluating assessment, and redefining their roles in the process. Considerations for online learning: 1. Learning in the distance education environment cannot be passive. Students and the teacher must be active in contributing in the learning process through posting their thoughts and ideas for discussion. 2. Evidence of critical thinking and knowledge acquisition are the desired learning outcomes.Therefore, traditional classroom worries like cheating should not be concern because students are encouraged to work collaboratively. 3. Creation of empowered learners is another desired outcome of online distance education. Online Issues and Concerns For instructors: 1. Teachers need the ability to deal with personality issues that may arise in the virtual world.For example, a teacher who performs well in the classroom may struggle with an online environment and vice versa. 2. Medical issues such as carpal tunnel, back problems, and headaches can be become problematic.Psychologically, students and faculty can become addicted to technology. 3. Traditionally teaching and online teaching requires an individual with a unique set of skills. Students Online 1. Online learning affects introverted and extroverted students in opposite ways.An introverted student is more likely to be successful in an environment with less social pressure, while an extroverted student may struggle with presence is an environment that is not face-to-face. 2. “Noisy learners” as described by Nipper (1989) is one who is active and creative in the learning process and is a successful learner in an online environment. 3. See page 8 for Illinois Online Network’s characteristics of successful students in distance education programs. Making the Transition and Establishing Presence How to create presence online? 1. threaded discussion which is a series of posts displayed in outline form in the discussion area of the online course. 2. synchronous presence which would require students to meet at a designated time in the online environment. 3. create human-to-human contact before the interaction involved with course content begins 4. interaction of the instructor with the learners which includes the development of highly interactive course activities helps increasethe perception of learning online 5. students post introductions with fears and expectations for the course 6. it is relationships and interactions among people through which knowledge is primarily generated (Palloff, Pratt 2007)
Chapter 2 Recontextualizing Community As stated in this chapter, forming an online community is similar to forming a neighborhood within a community.An institution (high school, college, or university) forms a large community and within that community are classes that can be considered individual neighborhoods.“The learning community in an online course allows for mutual exploration of ideas, a safe place to reflect on and develop those ideas, and a collaborative, supportive approach to academic work” (Palloff, Pratt 2007). Communities are formed based on a sense of belonging, common interests, and connections to a greater purpose; online communities are formed for the same reasons, but are not limited to a geographic place. The following are a list of indicators that a community has formed in an online class:
Active learning in course content and personal communication
Collaboration evolving comments directed from student to student
Socially constructed meaning through a desire to achieve agreement of issues of meaning
Sharing of resource among students
Exchange of expressions of support and encouragement between students
Creating an online community begins with coalescence which is the formation of a sense of group or community. Coalescence among students can happen quickly or may take some coaxing on the part of the instructor. Coalescence can begin with an initial face-to-face meeting to assistance students with the online learning environment and technologies to be used. “The meeting should extend over a period of days and include intentional activities geared toward community building or may not be effective” (Palloff, Pratt 2007). It is also critical for collaboratively negotiated norms for class goals, rules, and all other elements which the group will operate to be discussed.These norms form the foundation on which the community is built.
Chapter 3: The Human Side of Learning Online As stated by the authors, in a technological online environment where community building need to occur, human issues will emerge.These may be many of the factors that keep individuals from finding success with online learning.For example, students who value individualism may fear experiencing the connection among individuals in an online learning environment that is necessary in order to share in the learning experience. This fear may keep students from sharing for fear of being perceived as a fake or not being accepted. The following issues regarding building online learning will occur: Human Contact “Textual communication is a great equalizer.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) In the online environment, learners experience a sense of anonymity that may promote more thought about what and how we say things.Conversely, it may give us the confidence to say things we may not say in a face-to-face meeting. Students who struggle in an online learning environment feel their weakness may be due to not being able to actively verbally communicate (“hear”) the instructor and classmates. Synchronous meetings throughout an online course may help those struggling because of the lack of face-to-face meetings, especially if voice and video were incorporated into the meeting. An instructor should be aware of “silent/unseen” student who may not be fully participating in the online discussion, but may be “listening in” in the background. The instructor should place a phone call or email to the “silent” student to encourage him or her to participate. Connectedness and Coalescence Connectedness and coalescence can occur within the group over time and with encouragement from the instructor. Connectedness among the group can happen as a result of struggles, conflict and learning to learn in a new way. Learners become empowered through shared experiences such as struggling to learn the course materials, conflict among the views and opinions of the group, or simply learning together how to use the online environment to learn and share experiences. Connectedness and coalescence does not mean students have to give up their own personal opinions for the sake of the group. Shared Responsibility, Rules and Norms It is important to establish these responsibilities, rules and norms at the beginning of an online course. “Students share responsibility for the development of the group through participation.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) The rules of the group need to be states as guidelines and students should be given an opportunity to comment and agree to them. “Groups may also discuss openness, honesty, safety as norms we commonly hold and that need to be reinforced.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) The establishment of these rules, goals, and norms provide a safe environment for students to enter and share their thoughts. Community Shadow Issues Groupthink is a common shadow issue that happens as a result of subtle pressure perceived by group members to conform to the group in thought and action. Anonymity is another shadow that results form the online medium in the inability of the student to see others reactions. “Somehow, this creates a sense that they are only communicating with their computer and are not responsible for what they say.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) Other Psychological Issues Students in an online environment who feel comfortable with the hardware and software technology will likely feel safe and secure in learning. However, if his or her environment changes or is hard to navigate this may cause undue stress, headaches, etc., on the learner. “It is important to plan and prepare for these changes by introducing students to them in advance and offering training and the chance to ask questions prior to implementation.” (2007) Instructors should also be aware of student who seem overly stressed or express a significant degree of painful emotion in their posts.These may be signs of other psychological trouble. Spiritual, Cultural and Vulnerability Issues In real communities, marriages and death are binding spiritual ceremonies. In a virtual community the instructor and students may be forced to deal with death in the online learning environment. This can be an emotional time for learners and may best be handled be creating online/virtual memorials as a means of sharing the loss. It is also important to celebrate achievements within the group as a form of ritual. According to the authors, spirituality is an unseen force that is greater than all of use and works through us. Everything we do as humans, including our interactions with technology, is spiritual. Many people hear the word spiritual and assume religion.Instructors must be prepared to discuss and accommodate religious beliefs as they relate to the class. Because it is not uncommon to have students in an online classroom from all over the globe, instructors and students must be aware of cultural barriers such as language and sensitive to cultural beliefs of all students. As a result of community building, it is only natural for students in an online community to feel vulnerable.Feelings of vulnerability result from interactions with people you have never met, the risk of rejection, and potential misunderstandings that may occur through text based communications. “Privacy is a major issue in community.” (2007) Sharing personal information about ourselves in order to connect with the group makes you vulnerable to people in the class and outside the class who try to intrude. There are no assurance of privacy in an online environment. “The encryption of message is the most reliable means of assuring privacy online, but it is rarely employed in an academic setting.” (2007) “Members must know that their communications are not secure and that they must use good judgment in what they share.” (2007) “Privacy, ethics, vulnerability, and boundaries are all closely related issues in the online community. Attention to these issues helps create a foundation that supports the purpose for being there and the purpose of the work together, as well as reinforcing the creation of a safe and secure environment in which to work.” (2007)
Chapter 4: Practical Considerations in Online Learning Some practical online learning considerations that must be taken into account include time, size cost and security. About Time How much time should be spent by time should be spent by students and faculty in an online course. An online class can be conducted as either synchronously or asynchronously or a combination of both. Synchronously meeting occurs in a real-time virtual classroom or chat, and asynchronously meeting occurs at random times for the students and the instructor and offers the ability to work and post at various times. Each meeting time offers different advantages and disadvantages to the learners and instructors. Asynchronous environment allows participants to log on to the class or discussion at any time, think about what is being discussed, and post their won responses when they wish. Coordinating an appropriate time and a means of conducting an virtual meeting are the challenges of a synchronous meeting. Both types of online meetings require skill on the part of the instructor to coordinator the meeting, the media used to meet, and monitoring and guidance for productive discussions. It is essential that the instructor establish guidelines for participation at the beginning of the course to alleviate any confusion or overload that may be experienced by students in the course. According to research done by Palloff and Pratt, a common misunderstanding about teaching online is that it is easy.Research has found the exact opposite is true, instructor accountability has a great impact on the success of the course. “Instructors need to factor in time off as well as reasonable response times and communicate those to students at the start of the course.”(Palloff, Pratt 2007) “Instructors in the online arena will find that the time needed to deliver this type of class is two to three times greater than to deliver a face-to-face class, especially as they develop and deliver a course for the first time.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) Increased amounts of time spent online can lead to information addition and pathological Internet use or PIU (Palloff, Pratt 2007). PIUs spend more than 36 hours per week online and tend to ignore family, work, and classes to spend time on the Internet (Young, 1998). The instructor’s ability to implement course management techniques such as good organization of course site and manageable pieces of course work, and the ability to recognize signals that students may be giving regarding an inability to keep up with course work. Student’s ability to manage their time applied to the online class will enable them to find success by dividing their time into tasks including reading the assigned materials, reading the contributions of other students in the class, and preparing their own response to the assignment. Group Size In order for the instructor to maintain control in an online classroom, group size becomes an important factor. Groups that are too large can be overwhelming to the instructor and the students. It is recommended that synchronous groups consist of 5-10 participants, while asynchronous groups can be larger with 20 or more participants. Promoting an environment in which collaborative work is necessary requires small group leadership can be shared among the students in the group. Leaders of the small groups then become responsible for reporting on weekly group discussion. Smaller groups are necessary if papers are to be written collaboratively. If small groups are created within a larger class, each group should appoint a team leader who becomes responsible for facilitating the interaction within the team. Cost and Other Administrative Issues “A survey conducted by RAND indicates that courses delivered via the Internet can help cut central administrative costs while reaching out to more students who are beyond the confines of the university.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) Lower costs are associated with the delivery of online courses which enables universities to keep class sizes small without reducing revenues. Course development and course revision need to be examined to get a better understanding of the true costs associated with online learning. Good use of instructional design and development of courses that can be delivered to larger numbers of students allows development costs to be minimized. Good faculty training and flexible instructional design are needed to assist faculty in becoming better facilitators and designer of online course curriculum. Costs involved with online courses include licenses for the software in use, servers to house the software, course development, faculty training, faculty pay, technical support, and security and maintenance of the system. The question that arises from this section is Should universities be charging the same tuition rate for online course as traditional classes? What most students don’t understand regarding online courses is the amount of time spent by the university and instructor in developing and administering online courses. In order to feel as though they (students) are getting what they are paying for, they expect to see a high degree of faculty involvement from the instructor of the online course as well as technical support when needed. Online Security There are three major areas of concern in securing online courses and programs: security of hardware, information, and administrative functions. Actions of the users within the network and intrusions from those users outside the network pose a threat to the security of the network on campus. “Information security includes the computers that access the university network as well as the communication that goes on between users.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) Protecting the privacy of users is an important factor. Use of antivirus software, personal firewalls, and anti-spyware should be used by faculty and students as a means of prevention. FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) established guidelines for information that can be shared regarding students. This information is commonly known as directory information including a student’s name, address, phone number, etc. It is fully within the student’s right to deny giving his or her information to an online instructor.
Chapter 5: Managing the Relationship to Technology As access to online learning technologies improve through software enhancements and multimedia capabilities, so does the need/want for instantaneous response/feedback from instructors of online courses. The demand for instant learning and feedback may decreasethe ability of a group of learners to form a community because community building takes time. Virtual reality programs that enhance community building include Second Life and online gaming. These programs enhance community building because the learner is submersed in the environment to construct knowledge and learn from their experiences. “Regardless of the technology used, it should never serve as the driver of the learning process but should be viewed as the vehicle through which learning occurs.” (2007) The focus of this chapter will be to determine what role technology plays in the delivery of an online course. The Relationship of Person to Machine Consideration must be given to the people who interact with the hardware, software, and process of online learning.These people may experience attachment phenomenon or double-loop learning. Attachment phenomenon or the attachment of person to machine may occur in online learning as the student becomes dependent on the technology and begins to form somewhat of a relationship with their computer or other piece of technology. Double loop learning is a term used to describe processes of organizational learning and is the foundation of transformational learning. Problem solving is one key factor in learning and another is reflection on the learner’s role/behavior as it relates to the problem. “They must learn how the very way they go about defining and solving problems can be a source of problems in its own right.” (2007) This type of analysis is known as double-loop learning. These types of user interactions are directly related to the way users are engaging in material in the learning process as well as learning about themselves through the process. Technology as a Facilitative Tool “Technology should not drive the course, instead the desired outcomes and needs of the participants should be the deciding factors.” (2007) It is important for the instructor to choose technology/media for an online course that has functionality and is user friendly to the participants. The instructor must consider the participants connection capabilities due to the fact that 55 percent of adults have access to high-speed internet (2007). In order to be a facilitative tool, course management software should be easy to use, have visual appeal, and provide technical support. Course management software should be transparent, meaning that the software should be in the background, acting only as a vehicle or platform for course delivery (2007). The ability of the course management software to create a visually appealing site through the use of banners, photos, and biographically areas creates greater interest for the participants. Logging on, using the software, uploading and downloading files, and various other technical issues should be addressed through available technical support. The instructor may be responsible for trouble shooting basic course management issues, but the instructor may seek support from the institution for issues such a server problems or “bugs” in the software being used. Online courses can be a flexible, mobile, and adaptable means for learners to participate in a non placed-based learning environment. The instructor’s choice of course management software, ability to coordinate and trouble shoot technological issues, and facilitation of technology as a tool in the online learning environment are the details that must be examined to enable learners to succeed in the online learning environment.
Chapter 6: Moving Teaching and Learning Online What makes teaching and learning successful? Is it the role of the instructor or could it be the independence of the learners? Effective Teaching and Learning in the Online Classroom Previously, we discussed the changed role of the instructor in an online learning environment. Typically the instructor spends a minimal amount of time instructing and more time as a facilitator of learning. Learners therefore play an active role in the learning process and as a result the learners have greater control over the learning process?How much control is appropriate? Learner centered and student directed are two types of learning associated with online learning. “Online learners are encouraged to be more autonomous, resourceful, and independent—characteristics that are in keeping with a learner-centered approach.” (2007) Learner-centered instructor focuses attention squarely on the learning process and therefore the responsibility for learning falls to the learners. For example, if a collaborative task is a requirement of the course, the learners are empowered to control how the task will be accomplished. “In a student-centered online classroom the function of content changes.” (2007) Similar to transformative learning, student-centered learning assists students in better understanding who they are as learners and how they learn. The focus is on learning, not on grades. “In both of these approaches, the instructor retains overall responsibility for setting the stage for the course, creating a climate for learning, and monitoring progress to the desired outcome, which is learning.” (2007) It sometimes is necessary to teach learners how to learn. This can be accomplished by including problem-based learning, active learning, and cooperative learning which work well for online instruction. Roles and Functions of the Instructor in the Online Classroom As discussed in earlier chapters, it is necessary to develop a social presence online as part of a learning community. Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) assert that two additional forms of presence—cognitive presence and teaching presence—can be found in online communities of inquiry and are also necessary elements for teaching and learning. “They propose that the three forms of presence overlap to create the educational experience.” (2007) Cognitive presence is described as the element most often associated with success in education, and define it as “the extent to which the participants in any particular configuration of a community of inquiry are able to construct meaning through sustained communication…it is a vital element in critical thinking, a process and outcome that is frequently presented as the ostensible goal of all higher education.” (2007) Teaching presence is known as the role and function of the instructor and can be a shared role between the instructor and participants in the class. “Teaching presence is further divided into two major functions: first, the selection, organization, and design of content, activities and assessment; and second, the facilitation of the course.” (2007) Palloff and Pratt’s model takes into account the following aspects of the online learning community: (a)the people involved and the social function (social presence) (b)the policies and processes involved (which we call purpose, which overlaps with the teaching presence function and the managerial function) (c)the process, which includes the interaction and communication that support cognitive presence (d)the teaching and learning environment, which supports the pedagogical function and creates the educational experience (p. 108, 2007) Educational Facilitation In the online environment, the instructor’s role changes from an expert who imparts knowledge to learners to an instructor who provides a framework and encourages to learners to explore the course materials with minimal restriction. With the absence of a traditional lecture format, it becomes important for instructors to provide general topics for students to examine, post open-ended questions that may be specifically directed or difficult to answer, and respond to student posts. Community Building As stated earlier, it is the responsibility of the instructor to provide a space for learners to “let their hair down and be comfortable with one another—a community space.” (2007) In this space, students may talk about personal items or course related issues and this space will be a means for participants to get to know one another as members of a community. Administration The course instructor is also responsible for administrative duties including the course syllabus, assignments, guidelines for the class, and evaluates the outcomes of the course. An important part of administering these duties is involving the participants in the decision making process regarding guidelines, assignments, and due dates. Though some instructors are stilling using traditional tests to evaluate students online, the authors of this book encourage the use of student papers, either individual or collaborative. The Role of the Learner in the Learning Process “The successful learn in an online environment is active and engaged in knowledge generation.” (2007)“The roles of the learner can best be understood as they relate to knowledge generation, collaboration, and process management.
In some cases, students assume one of these roles in the online environment and in other cases the group shares all of these roles among the group. Knowledge Generation If the online learners are recipients of the instructor’s guidance, this means the participants must be problem solvers and be able to view problems for many points of view. “They are expected to question the assumptions presented by the instructor and those of the other students, as well as their own assumptions and ideas.” (2007) This process enables learners to learn about the learning process and gain critical thinking skills. Students should research the topic being studied to gain additional information and therefore improving their research skills. Collaboration In an online learning environment, the expectation is that students will work together. Working together should enable students to gain a deeper level of understanding of the material and a more critical examination of the materials being studied. Students who willing participate in the group as the collaborator help facilitate collaboration in the group. Collaboration should occur within the course site through a study session or discussion regarding a topic. Students can also collaborate by providing critical feedback to one another about topics of the course. Collaboration can occur between learning communities if an instructor is teaching multiple sections of a course. This type of collaboration would increase the resources that are available to the groups. Process Management “The role of process manager is the one that most significantly sets online teaching and learning apart form the face-to-face classroom.” (2007) Process managers become responsible for clarifying tough questions and speak up if the course is moving in an uncomfortable direction that other group members may not want to address. “Process managers will also point out any inconsistencies in instructions give, seek to clarify assignments, and generally take responsibility for ensure that the course moves along smoothly.” (2007) It is important for the instructor and participants in an online learning environment to remain flexible and remember that all participants are in it together. The Hybrid Course and Online Community Hybrid course are also known as blended courses because they may be conducted partially face-to-face and online which make these types of class very flexible for the learner and instructor. Various combinations of course material can be addresses in face-to-face meetings or be reserved for online meetings to reduce the number of face-to-face meetings. How does community fit in a hybrid course? “A study conducted by Rovai and Jordan found the sense of community in a hybrid course can actually be stronger because of a reduced sense of isolation created by even occasional face-to-face contact.” (2007) Another result of the study found that the success of a combination of online learning is a direct result of the instructor as a facilitator.
Part 2—Teaching and Learning in the Virtual Learning Community Chapter 7: Building Foundations The remaining chapters of this book will focus on the details of the online learning process and how to create a successful course. Creating an appropriate syllabus, setting objectives, negotiating guidelines, setting up a course outline, encouraging participation, and accountability for presence in an online classroom, these are all aspects that will be examined in this chapter. Creating an Effective Course Design A common mistake that is made by instructors is referred to as curriculum conversion. Curriculum conversion is taking the same face-to-face curriculum and putting it online without making many adjustments. Teaching online requires the conversion of teaching methodology which changes our pedagogy. Four basic steps are involved in creating an effective syllabus for an online course. Though these steps are similar to the steps taken to create an effective face-to-face syllabus, but it is important start the steps new and not move from one medium to another. (1)defining outcomes and objectives (2)choosing appropriate reading material, assignments, and tasks (3)establishing a topic-driven course outline (4)developing and aligning assessment of activities with outcomes and objectives (p. 130, 2007) Defining Outcomes and Objectives Curriculum design should begin with the end in mind. “In an online course, the syllabus is deliberately left more open to allow students to develop new ideas, exercise critical-thinking skills, and develop research skills.” (p. 130, 2007) It is important for the instructor to consider expected outcomes and competencies to be shown by the students. Competencies may include items that you want students to be able to do at the completion of the course, for example, debug a computer program or write a publishable article. Choosing Appropriate Reading Material, Assignments, and Tasks As part of creating the course syllabus, the topics for discussion, participation expectations, assessment of class activities, and assignments but it is not necessary to have a detailed outline of materials to be discussed in each course meeting. Creating an outline of broad topics and questions for consideration while allow students to explore topics. A common strategy is to structure the weekly outline of the class around required readings to create a discussion. Establishing a Topic-Driven Course For topics that require hands-on exploration such as science, art, and music, may require a mini-lecture format conducted by the instructor and requires students to complete a problem (individually or as a group) and submit the results to the instructor. “Some instructors provide supplementary material on video or CD-ROM, to which students can then respond online.” (p. 138, 2007) Some instructors use companion websites with web-based activities and scanned art work as examples supplemental media activities that enable students to view, discuss, and share as topic discussions. Course Activities The course activities that are directly connected to the course objectives and competencies are critical parts of the online course. The course delivery is what sets apart an online class from a face-to-face class. Carr-Chellman and Duschastel (2001) discuss the importance of the activities in an online course does not “teach,” but instead makes resources and activities available that allow student to explore the content together in an effective manner (p. 138, 2007) Fishbowl activity allows a small group of students to practice a skill while being observed and encouraged by the instructor and others in the class (p. 138, 2007). In the online environment, the fishbowl is setup on the discussion board within the course management software. The optional uses of the fishbowl include the small group interacting with the instructor while the other members of the class observe or the groups interacting with one another while the instructor observes. Group assignments such as surveys can be included as follow up activities to the fishbowl. To address different learning styles in the online learning environment, instructors should offer choice in activities. For example, if students need to prepare a paper for the class, the instructor can offer two options for the final paper such as theory and personal application watch a film related to the topic and apply the theory learned, or a small group collaborative project. Studies have found that the element of choice enhances the learning process and sense of social presence, satisfaction level of the class, and is a matte of learning style and individual preference (p. 143, 2007). Course Guidelines “It is extremely important to begin the class with clear guidelines for acceptable participation.” (p. 143, 2007) Stating how often participants are to log on and what they are expected to accomplish during their log on time is specific details that the participants and instructor must make clear at the beginning of the course. Participants must understand that a post is a substantive contribution to the discussion, wherein a student either comments on other posts or begins a new topic (p. 144, 2007). These participation guidelines are usually the first discussion topic and are provided in the syllabus. It is just as important for the instructor to address what the students can expect from him or her throughout the course, as it is to address the expectations the instructor has of the students. The instructor must also consider the educational level of the participants and propose guidelines accordingly. Generally, undergraduate participants need more structure provided in the guidelines while graduate level students require less structure. Constructing the Online Course Site “The online course site provides the organizational structure through which participants can engage with the course material being investigated and with one another.” (p. 144, 2007) The institution’s policies and the software chosen to deliver the course determines how the site will be constructed.“Regardless of the software application used or the type of course taught, we routinely build the following elements into the course site: ·A welcome area, which includes a place for important announcements or additional guidelines ·A social area or forum on the discussion board where group members can interact on a personal level ·Course content areas, organized according to the way the syllabus was constructed ·An area or forum on the discussion board devoted to reflections on learning and the course evaluation ·An area or forum for student questions ·A separate area for assignments and exams or for posting assignments as discussion items (p.147, 2007) The discussion board area of the site is the core of the online course, it is important that is it constructed in a well-organized manner. Instructors who are new to online teaching struggle to construct the discussion board area of the site. As instructors gain experience with constructing and organizing the site, it is important to remember the better organized the site the more likely participants will interact with the technology. As stated previously, the technology of the site should be transparent or part of the background of the course which enables participants to participate actively in the course materials. If You Build It, Will They Come? What strategies can be used by instructors to get students of the course to be participants in the course? Some in an online course interact with the instructor, but not with their classmates and other students do not participate at all. These are some strategies to incorporate in building your online course to ensure students will be willing participants in the course:
Establish clear participation guidelines that the participants discuss and agree to
Be clear about how participation will be assessed and how it figures into the grading scheme for the class
Create a clear syllabus and course structure that is easy to follow but allows for flexibility
Be clear about how much time is involved in participation in an online course so there are no misunderstandings
Create a course site that is welcoming, easy to navigate, and to which there is little difficulty posting messages
Be a good role model of online participation by being visible on a daily basis
Be willing to step in and set limits if participation is waning or is heading in the wrong direction
Be willing to make phone calls to people who are not participating to ask why and to draw them back in
Most important, strive to create community through inclusion of the human elements involved in the course (p. 150, 2007)
A suggestion made by the authors is to begin an online course with Week 0, which is a week devoted to learning the course site and technology, introducing yourself to the group, and establishing what each individual’s learning objectives are for the course. In other words, Week 0 is the first week and it does not involve any course materials.Humor is a valuable tool to use to address the “human” side of learners and help encourage participants to become active. Guiding Questions to Assist in Building an Effective Course Syllabus Evaluating an Effective Online Course It is important to remember in the online teaching environment that it your teaching methodologies that may need to change to accommodate the online learning environment, not necessarily the course curriculum. See pages 153-155 for guiding questions and evaluations of effective course design. Chapter 8: Promoting Collaborative Learning Collaboration is a critical component of the online learning environment. As individuals learn to collaboratively participate as a group collaboration they gain a deeper understanding of knowledge and transform from independence to interdependence with in the group. Interdependence enables to the group build community which promotes individuals successes as success as a group. Collaboration can help overcome feelings of isolation that are experienced by students in an online learning environment. Collaborative activities are purposely designed to connect learners which enable learners to share ideas and receive feedback. “If students understand from the beginning of the course that “we’re all in this together”, then incorporating collaborative activities into the course happens much more easily.” (p. 159, 2007) Formulating a Shared Goal for Learning Shared goals are an important part of face-to-face and online communities. In an online course, the participants should be encouraged by the instructor to negotiate guidelines to establish learning objectives that will lead to meeting the goals of the course. The following techniques can be used by the instructor to formulate shared goals for learning: Negotiating Guidelines
To alleviate resistance from students to participate in collaborative exercises, the instructor should explain why the activity is occurring and how it contributes to learning objectives for the course
Instructor should include expectations for collaboration in the guidelines for the course and students should be aware of expectations and what the outcomes will be for the student if they do not comply
Posting Introductions and Learning Expectations
Ice breakers activities are an effective way for online students to introduce themselves to their classmates and get to know their classmates. As part of a structure ice breaker activity, the instructor must encourage students to share their expectations for the class.
Sharing student expectations with their classmates and the instructor enables the instructor to determine everyone’s level within the course. If the levels are inconsistent among students, it is an opportunity for the instructor to reevaluate expectations about the course based on given student expectations.
“A team charter serves as an agreement or contract between members, outlining how they will interact together, determining the roles each member will play in the collaborative activity, and creating benchmarks and deadlines for the completion and submission of collaborative work.” (p. 163, 2007)
Encouraging Comment on Introductions
Student introductions are an important part of an online learning course, as well as responses from classmates to each individual student’s introductions can prove to be as important because follow-up responses help students feel recognized and welcomed as part of the group (social presence).
Forming Teams and Posting Guidelines for Their Performance
Creating teams for the purposes of promoting collaboration through small-group discussion, completion of group assignments, and engagement in small-group activities and simulations. Teams can be formed by the instructor or by encouraging individuals to group themselves.
After forming teams it is important guidelines and expectations of the team’s performance. Teams should be encouraged to participate in forming the guidelines for the team performance. The teams should reach a consensus about the their team charter
Teams should be responsible for deciding on the team’s leadership and member roles
Teams should also become responsible for evaluating each team member’s work, participation, and contribution to the collaborative activities of the team
Problems, Interests, and Experiences as Springboards for Learning
The content of the course should be embedded in everyday life. “The more that participants can relate their life experience and what they already know to the context of the online classroom, the deeper their understanding will be of what they learn.” (p. 167, 2007)
Applying what students know to everyday contexts validates students as people who have knowledge and can relate that knowledge to their experiences
“The instructor can use group exercises and simulations to encourage connections; using questions that relate to the lives of the participants outside the classroom
Instructors should encourage students to discuss life experiences in the topic discussions. These topics encourage students to participate in a safe environment in which their personal comments will be respected and used to promote collaboration among participants
Developing Assignments Related to Real-Life Situations
Creating small group activities that require the group to solve a real-life problem together such as a collaborative paper or a completion of a simulation will encourage and promote collaboration.
Conflict is inevitable within a group. Learning to work through conflict is a valuable experience for group members.
Dialogue as Inquiry
Sharing the responsibilities of dialogue among the group members is important and valuable to collaboration. This can be accomplished by the instructor and participants developing the art of asking expansive questions, responsibility for facilitating the discussion can be shared among participants, and students should be required to provide constructive feedback.
The instructor should be an equal team member and gentle guide in the dialogue process. This is sometimes difficult for instructors and therefore, provides a learning experience for the instructor and the students.
Brookfield and Preskill (2005) state that collaboration can become addictive: the more successful students are at collaborating, the more they seek it out (p.171, 2007).
Encouraging Expansive Questioning
Expansive questioning is achieved in the online classroom when the level of discussion and participation evidenced by viewing the discussion.
There are no right or wrong answers to expansive questions and they are used to stimulate thinking regarding a larger body of knowledge. For example, if an instructor asks for three critical factors related to the topic, the students will provide a discussion about only the three critical factors.
However, if the instructor asked what the student felt were the critical factors regarding the topic based on their research, the responses would be more substantive.
“When students become excited by the learning that expansive questions create, they can become adept at asking the same types of questions themselves.” (p. 172, 2007)
Sharing Responsibility for Facilitation Sharing the responsibility for facilitation with the participants in the class actively engages the learners in the learning process, which is a goal of online learning. The roles that students might take in an online course include: ·Facilitator of the discussion ·Process observer, commenting on group dynamics ·Content commentator, summarizing the group’s learning over the previous week ·Team leader ·Presenter on a particular topic, book, or area of interest (p. 173, 2007) When the participants are responsible for facilitating, the instructor should be willing to give up control of the direction and content of the discussion and be a participating member of the group. Promoting Feedback Providing thoughtful and constructive feedback to one another must be a requirement of an online learning course. “The ability to give meaningful feedback, which helps others think about the work they have produced, is not a naturally acquired skill. It must be taught, modeled, and encouraged by the instructor” (p. 176, 2007)For many students, creating, giving, and receiving substantive feedback is a new experience and may experience conflict with this type of feedback. Students should remember that comments are directed at their ideas and presentation and should not be taken personally. Through constructive feedback students should be able to construct a collaborative view of the material being discussed which goes beyond both their initial presentations of the materials. Intergroup and Other Forms of Collaboration The Internet is a wealth of information from across the globe. “Exposure to some of these individuals and groups can provide student with a deeper understanding of the subject they are studying, allow them to develop greater facility with online research, and create connections that can serve them long after a course ends.” (p. 180, 2007) Instructor should incorporate assignments that require students to find websites that relate to the course topic and create an assignment such a paper and post the paper to the course for discussion. This type of assignment encourages students to explore the Internet in order to promote collaboration with other learning communities online. Instructors can also encourage collaboration between two sections of the same course that he or she is teaching by requiring students to interact and collaborate with members of the other group regarding a specific topic or collaboration can occur through another university class that is focusing on the same course topics. Resource Sharing Collaborative Writing Other Forms of Collaboration
Chapter 9: Transformative Learning This chapter will focus on the “real” learning that takes place through participation in an online course. Transformative learning is real learning because it represents a self-reflective process. Jack Mezirow (1990, 1991, 2000) coined the term transformative learning to refer to learning that is based on reflection and on the interpretation of the experiences, ideas, and assumptions gained through prior learning (p. 185, 2007). “The goal of transformative learning is to understand why we see the world the way we do and to shake off the constraints of the limiting perspectives we have carried with us into the learning experience.” (p.185, 2007) Participants should be encouraged to explore how learning online if different and how interacting with technology enables the learner to learn about technology. Participants should also be encouraged to self reflect on the on the online learning process through questioning. Reflection is also referred to as double loop learning when the learner evaluated their role in the learning process and how they contribute to the process. The Process of Transformative Learning in the Online Classroom It is usually not stated at the beginning of an online course that students will become part of a learning community and that transformation will be the result of the course. Therefore, students will grow academically and personally. ·Students will encounter disorienting dilemmas which are dilemmas that cause the learner to critically assess distortions in the areas of the nature and use of knowledge, belief systems related to power and social relationships ·Students will encounter psychic distortions or presuppositions that cause anxiety and inaction ·Instructor should gradually make students aware of the transformative learning process as the course progresses, and as a result the learners become aware of their increasing competence and independence rather than simply remaining a participant in the learning process ·“Personal growth become a companion to intellectual growth as the student assumes greater responsibility for the learning process, competence, authority, self confidence, and an overall sense of mastery and power.” (p. 187, 2007) Reviewing the Process
The process begins with the student acquiring knowledge
They enter the online environment and begin to from new relationships which deepen as student post material to the course site and are acknowledged for their ideas and participation
Students feel valued based on the acknowledgement and feedback they receive, consequently their ideas may be supported and expanded, or they may begin to branch off in another direction of inquiry
As a result, they begin to develop new ways of explaining their ideas and the material with which they are interacting
This creates a network a network of learning through which new ideas and means of reflections provide a feedback mechanism
“The results of the transformative learning process are the student’s ability to stay focused on a position or idea or to achieve a shift in paradigm, thereby adopting a new view of the same idea.” (p. 190, 2007) Making Room for the Process in the Online Classroom “In order to encourage this level of inquiry, a space needs to be created in the learning process in which it can occur.” (p. 191, 2007) Two areas can be deliberately created in the course site, one area for online reflection and another for self reflection. Instructors can ask questions that encourage student reflections as part of an ongoing discussion. Learning About Learning Through the use of Technology It is important for the instructor to point out to the students that the technology medium they are using allows the reflective process to happen. This opens a new area of inquiry about what we are learning about learning by using technology. “Transformative learning is not easy; in fact, it may be somewhat painful for some. Just recognizing that it is different and the “I function differently here” is important to the learning process, allowing students to proceed with courage and compassion, even though the going may be difficult.” (p. 193, 2007) Creating Opportunities to Encourage Reflection on the Differences
Institutions include questions about the technology used in their course as part of the course evaluation
Learning about Technology by Using it Students who participate in online learning cannot help but improve their ability to use technology in the following ways: word processing, logging on to the Internet and using a browser, and use synchronous tools. By the end of an online course, students should feel more confident about using technology and more likely to try using advanced forms of technology. The use of technology that is transparent and easy to master will allow learners of all technology levels to find success in online learning courses. Encouraging Questions and Comments about the Technology Instructors should encourage students to ask question about software use and other technical questions. Students who respond to other student’s technical questions usually give the best responses that provide encouragement and advice. “As students support each other with their growing technical expertise, this promotes a feeling that everyone is in this thing together.” (p. 196, 2007) When ongoing problems occur that seem to be unsolvable, it is important for the instructor to encourage phone or e-mail contact to resolve these concerns. “Learning about technology by using it becomes one of the desired learning outcomes for an online course.” (p. 198, 2007) Self-Reflection Transformative learning cannot occur without self reflection. Self reflection is about who you are as a person. Has that perception of yourself changed since I have participated in an online course? As an online course progresses, the learners will look back on history of their online learning course and comment on the differences from the beginning to the end of the process. Reflection does not end after looking at the history of the course, it begins by looking ahead to the future and how the online learning process with affect the learner. Keeping a private or public journal can help with the reflective process. The Reflective Process The reflection processes needs to answer the following questions:
How were you as a learner before you came into this course?
How have you changed?
How do you anticipate this will affect your learning in the future?
Questions need to be asked throughout the course and should be used as part of the evaluation process because it helps us determine if we have reached our learning objectives. The idea of the reflective process is to examine the new views of yourself and take yourself into future learning experiences and experience greater success because you feel empowered and confident. Final Thoughts: We are the experts when it comes to our own learning “When students are empowered to become experts at their own learning, they cannot help but be transformed as people.” (p. 202, 2007) Transformative learning is one of the most exciting aspects of online because it enables expand their knowledge of technology, themselves as learners, and build confidence in learners. Transformative learning can be incorporate into an online course for assessment of the course and individual performance of the learners.
Chapter 10: Student Assessment and Course Evaluation In order to continuously improve online courses, it is important to assess and evaluate the coarse content, quality of instruction, and technology being used. Assessment and Evaluation Basics “Course and student progress evaluation generally take two forms: formative and summative evaluation. Formative evaluation is an ongoing process that can occur at any point throughout the course; it can surface gaps in course material or in learners’ ability to grasp that material. Summative evaluation assesses the completed course and is most often the model of evaluation used in academic institutions.” (p. 205, 2007) Summative evaluation should not be the sole means used to evaluate an online course. A formative and summative approach to evaluation must be used to evaluate an online course. Formative assessment enables the evaluation of the instructor’s reflection on the course material and the learner as part of the learning process. Summative evaluation helps the instructor evaluate the extent to which the course objectives were met. Student Performance Evaluation of student performance should be based on several criteria including quantity of posts and quality of participation. The purpose of student assessment is to support and provide feedback that will enable students to continue learning and achieving success in the course. Using Dialogue as a Source of Evaluative Material “The dialogue generated in an online course can be a rich source of evaluation material if an instructor remains alert to its presence, seeking examples as they appear.” (p.207, 2007) Scanning student posts for material related to course content and reflection, as well as instructor generated questions are all forms of assessment that will evaluate course effectiveness and student performance. The following is an example question generated by an instructor in an undergraduate class, “The book states that conflict between groups is inevitable and that the conflict will be either positive or negative. Do you believe that if I put this group back into the face-to-face classroom that there would be conflict? What steps could I take to build a cohesive them if this happened?” (p. 207, 2007) Assessing Student Assignments Instructors are concerned about cheating and plagiarism in the online environment as with face-to-face instruction. Although research has shown that most online students are adults that are not interested in using some other student’s work, some institutions have adopted plagiarism detection service to scan student papers for evidence of plagiarism. Taking proactive steps to avoid cheating and plagiarism are more effective than overreacting and denying their existence in an online course. These proactive steps included the instructor’s ability to create varied assignments that promote critical thinking and are designed to promote collaboration and therefore, reduce most students’ desire to cheat. One means of grading student assignments is by frequently asking students to self assess part of the closure process. Group work that was completed in the class may have been designed so that the team leader graded each of the team members. Course guidelines that were established at the beginning of the course should be examined to weight the importance of each type of assessment. “In a class that relies heavily on discussion, the quality and quantity of student posts become assessment material.” (p. 210, 2007) If instructors intend on using unique methods of assessment such as laboratory exercises, videotapes, CD-ROMs, and simulations, they should plan for these activities in advance and consider making these materials a condition of enrollment in the course. Using Collaborative Assessment “Students should be asked to assess their own performance and to receive feedback from each other throughout the course.” (p. 212, 2007) On-going feedback will enable students to self assess and readjust their work accordingly. “Consequently, students’ self assessment regarding the amount of learning gained and learning objectives achieved is often just as important, or more so, than the instructor’s opinion of their work.” (p. 213, 2007) It is important to assess collaborative projects collaboratively. Instructors can all members of a project assess their work, as well as the contributions of their teammates. These scores can then be average into the final grade for the assignment. Aligning Assessment with Course Design “One critical factor in assessment that is often overlooked is the need to link course design and assessment.” (p. 216, 2007) The instructor’s choice of assessment should match the type of assignments chosen for the course as well as the learning objectives that are expected to be achieved. Authentic assessment and simulated real-life application of material can help achieve alignment because the outcomes of the course. Learner satisfaction is directly related to the alignment of assessment in an online course. Course Evaluation Traditional course evaluation forms are focused on determining whether the students enjoyed the instructor and the course. The online course outcomes that need to be measured by a course evaluation are more diverse than simply whether students liked the course and instructor. What are the elements of a good course evaluation in the online environment?
“Questions need to be asked throughout the course to determine how students are experiencing the course, the mode of instruction, and the online environment.” (p. 217, 2007)
Responses to these questions give the instructor the opportunity to make changes that will directly address the responses received from the students needs
Students need to be completely honest in their evaluation of the course. This can occur if the course has successfully created a trusting, cohesive community in which the instructor is part of.
An online instructor is evaluated based on his or her text presence. This enables students to focus on evaluating the course material, learning experience, and presence of the instructor in providing this elements in the course, not the personality of the instructor.
Some online course instructors ask former students to write letters to the next group of students who will be taking the course. The letters offer advise and suggestions for preparation
Program Evaluation Another important component to evaluate is the online program itself. It is essential to receive feedback from participants on their overall experience of working online through the institution. The core of this evaluation is to determine the value of the educational program being offered. Consider the following components in the evaluation process:
All involved parties should be involved in the program evaluation process including students, faculty, and the institution
Students should be asked about the ease of access to the program, instructor involvement, availability of support, and the variety of courses available in the program
Faculty also expect a smooth transition and support when needed. Training to support their work online including online teaching pedagogy and technology.
Institutions should evaluate the appropriateness of a student to participate in an online course which can be accomplished through a self assessment for prospective student.
Palloff, R. M. & Pratt K. (2007). Building Online Learning Communities. New York, NY: Jossey-Bass.
Chapter 1: When Teaching and Learning Leave the Classroom
As the process of education changes, it becomes important to examine what elements make online learning successful for students and teachers alike. A common theme throughout this chapter is the formation of a learning community in which knowledge and meaning are shared to create successful learning outcomes. As stated by the author, “Key to the learning process are the interactions among students themselves, the interactions between faculty and students, and the collaboration in learning that results from these interactions” (Palloff, Pratt 2007).
Recent research studies regarding the importance of community in an online course and in online teaching has been found to be a key to successful online. Students need to experience “social presence” which is defined as the ability to portray oneself as a “real” person in the online environment. In this environment, not only are students experiencing a change in learning, but teachers are rethinking how they teach, redefining learning objectives, re evaluating assessment, and redefining their roles in the process.
Considerations for online learning:
1. Learning in the distance education environment cannot be passive. Students and the teacher must be active in contributing in the learning process through posting their thoughts and ideas for discussion.
2. Evidence of critical thinking and knowledge acquisition are the desired learning outcomes. Therefore, traditional classroom worries like cheating should not be concern because students are encouraged to work collaboratively.
3. Creation of empowered learners is another desired outcome of online distance education.
Online Issues and Concerns
For instructors:
1. Teachers need the ability to deal with personality issues that may arise in the virtual world. For example, a teacher who performs well in the classroom may struggle with an online environment and vice versa.
2. Medical issues such as carpal tunnel, back problems, and headaches can be become problematic. Psychologically, students and faculty can become addicted to technology.
3. Traditionally teaching and online teaching requires an individual with a unique set of skills.
Students Online
1. Online learning affects introverted and extroverted students in opposite ways. An introverted student is more likely to be successful in an environment with less social pressure, while an extroverted student may struggle with presence is an environment that is not face-to-face.
2. “Noisy learners” as described by Nipper (1989) is one who is active and creative in the learning process and is a successful learner in an online environment.
3. See page 8 for Illinois Online Network’s characteristics of successful students in distance education programs.
Making the Transition and Establishing Presence
How to create presence online?
1. threaded discussion which is a series of posts displayed in outline form in the discussion area of the online course.
2. synchronous presence which would require students to meet at a designated time in the online environment.
3. create human-to-human contact before the interaction involved with course content begins
4. interaction of the instructor with the learners which includes the development of highly interactive course activities helps increase the perception of learning online
5. students post introductions with fears and expectations for the course
6. it is relationships and interactions among people through which knowledge is primarily generated (Palloff, Pratt 2007)
Chapter 2
Recontextualizing Community
As stated in this chapter, forming an online community is similar to forming a neighborhood within a community. An institution (high school, college, or university) forms a large community and within that community are classes that can be considered individual neighborhoods. “The learning community in an online course allows for mutual exploration of ideas, a safe place to reflect on and develop those ideas, and a collaborative, supportive approach to academic work” (Palloff, Pratt 2007). Communities are formed based on a sense of belonging, common interests, and connections to a greater purpose; online communities are formed for the same reasons, but are not limited to a geographic place. The following are a list of indicators that a community has formed in an online class:
Creating an online community begins with coalescence which is the formation of a sense of group or community. Coalescence among students can happen quickly or may take some coaxing on the part of the instructor. Coalescence can begin with an initial face-to-face meeting to assistance students with the online learning environment and technologies to be used. “The meeting should extend over a period of days and include intentional activities geared toward community building or may not be effective” (Palloff, Pratt 2007). It is also critical for collaboratively negotiated norms for class goals, rules, and all other elements which the group will operate to be discussed. These norms form the foundation on which the community is built.
Chapter 3: The Human Side of Learning Online
As stated by the authors, in a technological online environment where community building need to occur, human issues will emerge. These may be many of the factors that keep individuals from finding success with online learning. For example, students who value individualism may fear experiencing the connection among individuals in an online learning environment that is necessary in order to share in the learning experience. This fear may keep students from sharing for fear of being perceived as a fake or not being accepted.
The following issues regarding building online learning will occur:
Human Contact
“Textual communication is a great equalizer.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) In the online environment, learners experience a sense of anonymity that may promote more thought about what and how we say things. Conversely, it may give us the confidence to say things we may not say in a face-to-face meeting.
Students who struggle in an online learning environment feel their weakness may be due to not being able to actively verbally communicate (“hear”) the instructor and classmates. Synchronous meetings throughout an online course may help those struggling because of the lack of face-to-face meetings, especially if voice and video were incorporated into the meeting.
An instructor should be aware of “silent/unseen” student who may not be fully participating in the online discussion, but may be “listening in” in the background. The instructor should place a phone call or email to the “silent” student to encourage him or her to participate.
Connectedness and Coalescence
Connectedness and coalescence can occur within the group over time and with encouragement from the instructor.
Connectedness among the group can happen as a result of struggles, conflict and learning to learn in a new way. Learners become empowered through shared experiences such as struggling to learn the course materials, conflict among the views and opinions of the group, or simply learning together how to use the online environment to learn and share experiences. Connectedness and coalescence does not mean students have to give up their own personal opinions for the sake of the group.
Shared Responsibility, Rules and Norms
It is important to establish these responsibilities, rules and norms at the beginning of an online course. “Students share responsibility for the development of the group through participation.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) The rules of the group need to be states as guidelines and students should be given an opportunity to comment and agree to them. “Groups may also discuss openness, honesty, safety as norms we commonly hold and that need to be reinforced.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) The establishment of these rules, goals, and norms provide a safe environment for students to enter and share their thoughts.
Community Shadow Issues
Groupthink is a common shadow issue that happens as a result of subtle pressure perceived by group members to conform to the group in thought and action. Anonymity is another shadow that results form the online medium in the inability of the student to see others reactions. “Somehow, this creates a sense that they are only communicating with their computer and are not responsible for what they say.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007)
Other Psychological Issues
Students in an online environment who feel comfortable with the hardware and software technology will likely feel safe and secure in learning. However, if his or her environment changes or is hard to navigate this may cause undue stress, headaches, etc., on the learner. “It is important to plan and prepare for these changes by introducing students to them in advance and offering training and the chance to ask questions prior to implementation.” (2007) Instructors should also be aware of student who seem overly stressed or express a significant degree of painful emotion in their posts. These may be signs of other psychological trouble.
Spiritual, Cultural and Vulnerability Issues
In real communities, marriages and death are binding spiritual ceremonies. In a virtual community the instructor and students may be forced to deal with death in the online learning environment. This can be an emotional time for learners and may best be handled be creating online/virtual memorials as a means of sharing the loss. It is also important to celebrate achievements within the group as a form of ritual.
According to the authors, spirituality is an unseen force that is greater than all of use and works through us. Everything we do as humans, including our interactions with technology, is spiritual. Many people hear the word spiritual and assume religion. Instructors must be prepared to discuss and accommodate religious beliefs as they relate to the class.
Because it is not uncommon to have students in an online classroom from all over the globe, instructors and students must be aware of cultural barriers such as language and sensitive to cultural beliefs of all students.
As a result of community building, it is only natural for students in an online community to feel vulnerable. Feelings of vulnerability result from interactions with people you have never met, the risk of rejection, and potential misunderstandings that may occur through text based communications. “Privacy is a major issue in community.” (2007) Sharing personal information about ourselves in order to connect with the group makes you vulnerable to people in the class and outside the class who try to intrude. There are no assurance of privacy in an online environment. “The encryption of message is the most reliable means of assuring privacy online, but it is rarely employed in an academic setting.” (2007) “Members must know that their communications are not secure and that they must use good judgment in what they share.” (2007)
“Privacy, ethics, vulnerability, and boundaries are all closely related issues in the online community. Attention to these issues helps create a foundation that supports the purpose for being there and the purpose of the work together, as well as reinforcing the creation of a safe and secure environment in which to work.” (2007)
Chapter 4: Practical Considerations in Online Learning
Some practical online learning considerations that must be taken into account include time, size cost and security.
About Time
How much time should be spent by time should be spent by students and faculty in an online course. An online class can be conducted as either synchronously or asynchronously or a combination of both. Synchronously meeting occurs in a real-time virtual classroom or chat, and asynchronously meeting occurs at random times for the students and the instructor and offers the ability to work and post at various times. Each meeting time offers different advantages and disadvantages to the learners and instructors.
Asynchronous environment allows participants to log on to the class or discussion at any time, think about what is being discussed, and post their won responses when they wish. Coordinating an appropriate time and a means of conducting an virtual meeting are the challenges of a synchronous meeting. Both types of online meetings require skill on the part of the instructor to coordinator the meeting, the media used to meet, and monitoring and guidance for productive discussions. It is essential that the instructor establish guidelines for participation at the beginning of the course to alleviate any confusion or overload that may be experienced by students in the course.
According to research done by Palloff and Pratt, a common misunderstanding about teaching online is that it is easy. Research has found the exact opposite is true, instructor accountability has a great impact on the success of the course. “Instructors need to factor in time off as well as reasonable response times and communicate those to students at the start of the course.”(Palloff, Pratt 2007) “Instructors in the online arena will find that the time needed to deliver this type of class is two to three times greater than to deliver a face-to-face class, especially as they develop and deliver a course for the first time.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007)
Increased amounts of time spent online can lead to information addition and pathological Internet use or PIU (Palloff, Pratt 2007). PIUs spend more than 36 hours per week online and tend to ignore family, work, and classes to spend time on the Internet (Young, 1998). The instructor’s ability to implement course management techniques such as good organization of course site and manageable pieces of course work, and the ability to recognize signals that students may be giving regarding an inability to keep up with course work. Student’s ability to manage their time applied to the online class will enable them to find success by dividing their time into tasks including reading the assigned materials, reading the contributions of other students in the class, and preparing their own response to the assignment.
Group Size
In order for the instructor to maintain control in an online classroom, group size becomes an important factor. Groups that are too large can be overwhelming to the instructor and the students. It is recommended that synchronous groups consist of 5-10 participants, while asynchronous groups can be larger with 20 or more participants.
Promoting an environment in which collaborative work is necessary requires small group leadership can be shared among the students in the group. Leaders of the small groups then become responsible for reporting on weekly group discussion. Smaller groups are necessary if papers are to be written collaboratively. If small groups are created within a larger class, each group should appoint a team leader who becomes responsible for facilitating the interaction within the team.
Cost and Other Administrative Issues
“A survey conducted by RAND indicates that courses delivered via the Internet can help cut central administrative costs while reaching out to more students who are beyond the confines of the university.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) Lower costs are associated with the delivery of online courses which enables universities to keep class sizes small without reducing revenues.
Course development and course revision need to be examined to get a better understanding of the true costs associated with online learning. Good use of instructional design and development of courses that can be delivered to larger numbers of students allows development costs to be minimized. Good faculty training and flexible instructional design are needed to assist faculty in becoming better facilitators and designer of online course curriculum. Costs involved with online courses include licenses for the software in use, servers to house the software, course development, faculty training, faculty pay, technical support, and security and maintenance of the system.
The question that arises from this section is Should universities be charging the same tuition rate for online course as traditional classes? What most students don’t understand regarding online courses is the amount of time spent by the university and instructor in developing and administering online courses. In order to feel as though they (students) are getting what they are paying for, they expect to see a high degree of faculty involvement from the instructor of the online course as well as technical support when needed.
Online Security
There are three major areas of concern in securing online courses and programs: security of hardware, information, and administrative functions. Actions of the users within the network and intrusions from those users outside the network pose a threat to the security of the network on campus. “Information security includes the computers that access the university network as well as the communication that goes on between users.” (Palloff, Pratt 2007) Protecting the privacy of users is an important factor. Use of antivirus software, personal firewalls, and anti-spyware should be used by faculty and students as a means of prevention. FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974) established guidelines for information that can be shared regarding students. This information is commonly known as directory information including a student’s name, address, phone number, etc. It is fully within the student’s right to deny giving his or her information to an online instructor.
Chapter 5: Managing the Relationship to Technology
As access to online learning technologies improve through software enhancements and multimedia capabilities, so does the need/want for instantaneous response/feedback from instructors of online courses. The demand for instant learning and feedback may decrease the ability of a group of learners to form a community because community building takes time.
Virtual reality programs that enhance community building include Second Life and online gaming. These programs enhance community building because the learner is submersed in the environment to construct knowledge and learn from their experiences. “Regardless of the technology used, it should never serve as the driver of the learning process but should be viewed as the vehicle through which learning occurs.” (2007)
The focus of this chapter will be to determine what role technology plays in the delivery of an online course.
The Relationship of Person to Machine
Consideration must be given to the people who interact with the hardware, software, and process of online learning. These people may experience attachment phenomenon or double-loop learning. Attachment phenomenon or the attachment of person to machine may occur in online learning as the student becomes dependent on the technology and begins to form somewhat of a relationship with their computer or other piece of technology. Double loop learning is a term used to describe processes of organizational learning and is the foundation of transformational learning. Problem solving is one key factor in learning and another is reflection on the learner’s role/behavior as it relates to the problem. “They must learn how the very way they go about defining and solving problems can be a source of problems in its own right.” (2007) This type of analysis is known as double-loop learning.
These types of user interactions are directly related to the way users are engaging in material in the learning process as well as learning about themselves through the process.
Technology as a Facilitative Tool
“Technology should not drive the course, instead the desired outcomes and needs of the participants should be the deciding factors.” (2007) It is important for the instructor to choose technology/media for an online course that has functionality and is user friendly to the participants. The instructor must consider the participants connection capabilities due to the fact that 55 percent of adults have access to high-speed internet (2007).
In order to be a facilitative tool, course management software should be easy to use, have visual appeal, and provide technical support. Course management software should be transparent, meaning that the software should be in the background, acting only as a vehicle or platform for course delivery (2007). The ability of the course management software to create a visually appealing site through the use of banners, photos, and biographically areas creates greater interest for the participants. Logging on, using the software, uploading and downloading files, and various other technical issues should be addressed through available technical support. The instructor may be responsible for trouble shooting basic course management issues, but the instructor may seek support from the institution for issues such a server problems or “bugs” in the software being used.
Online courses can be a flexible, mobile, and adaptable means for learners to participate in a non placed-based learning environment. The instructor’s choice of course management software, ability to coordinate and trouble shoot technological issues, and facilitation of technology as a tool in the online learning environment are the details that must be examined to enable learners to succeed in the online learning environment.
Chapter 6: Moving Teaching and Learning Online
What makes teaching and learning successful? Is it the role of the instructor or could it be the independence of the learners?
Effective Teaching and Learning in the Online Classroom
Previously, we discussed the changed role of the instructor in an online learning environment. Typically the instructor spends a minimal amount of time instructing and more time as a facilitator of learning. Learners therefore play an active role in the learning process and as a result the learners have greater control over the learning process? How much control is appropriate?
Learner centered and student directed are two types of learning associated with online learning. “Online learners are encouraged to be more autonomous, resourceful, and independent—characteristics that are in keeping with a learner-centered approach.” (2007) Learner-centered instructor focuses attention squarely on the learning process and therefore the responsibility for learning falls to the learners. For example, if a collaborative task is a requirement of the course, the learners are empowered to control how the task will be accomplished. “In a student-centered online classroom the function of content changes.” (2007) Similar to transformative learning, student-centered learning assists students in better understanding who they are as learners and how they learn. The focus is on learning, not on grades.
“In both of these approaches, the instructor retains overall responsibility for setting the stage for the course, creating a climate for learning, and monitoring progress to the desired outcome, which is learning.” (2007) It sometimes is necessary to teach learners how to learn. This can be accomplished by including problem-based learning, active learning, and cooperative learning which work well for online instruction.
Roles and Functions of the Instructor in the Online Classroom
As discussed in earlier chapters, it is necessary to develop a social presence online as part of a learning community. Garrison, Anderson, and Archer (2000) assert that two additional forms of presence—cognitive presence and teaching presence—can be found in online communities of inquiry and are also necessary elements for teaching and learning. “They propose that the three forms of presence overlap to create the educational experience.” (2007) Cognitive presence is described as the element most often associated with success in education, and define it as “the extent to which the participants in any particular configuration of a community of inquiry are able to construct meaning through sustained communication…it is a vital element in critical thinking, a process and outcome that is frequently presented as the ostensible goal of all higher education.” (2007) Teaching presence is known as the role and function of the instructor and can be a shared role between the instructor and participants in the class. “Teaching presence is further divided into two major functions: first, the selection, organization, and design of content, activities and assessment; and second, the facilitation of the course.” (2007) Palloff and Pratt’s model takes into account the following aspects of the online learning community:
(a) the people involved and the social function (social presence)
(b) the policies and processes involved (which we call purpose, which overlaps with the teaching presence function and the managerial function)
(c) the process, which includes the interaction and communication that support cognitive presence
(d) the teaching and learning environment, which supports the pedagogical function and creates the educational experience (p. 108, 2007)
Educational Facilitation
In the online environment, the instructor’s role changes from an expert who imparts knowledge to learners to an instructor who provides a framework and encourages to learners to explore the course materials with minimal restriction. With the absence of a traditional lecture format, it becomes important for instructors to provide general topics for students to examine, post open-ended questions that may be specifically directed or difficult to answer, and respond to student posts.
Community Building
As stated earlier, it is the responsibility of the instructor to provide a space for learners to “let their hair down and be comfortable with one another—a community space.” (2007) In this space, students may talk about personal items or course related issues and this space will be a means for participants to get to know one another as members of a community.
Administration
The course instructor is also responsible for administrative duties including the course syllabus, assignments, guidelines for the class, and evaluates the outcomes of the course. An important part of administering these duties is involving the participants in the decision making process regarding guidelines, assignments, and due dates. Though some instructors are stilling using traditional tests to evaluate students online, the authors of this book encourage the use of student papers, either individual or collaborative.
The Role of the Learner in the Learning Process
“The successful learn in an online environment is active and engaged in knowledge generation.” (2007) “The roles of the learner can best be understood as they relate to knowledge generation, collaboration, and process management.
In some cases, students assume one of these roles in the online environment and in other cases the group shares all of these roles among the group.
Knowledge Generation
If the online learners are recipients of the instructor’s guidance, this means the participants must be problem solvers and be able to view problems for many points of view. “They are expected to question the assumptions presented by the instructor and those of the other students, as well as their own assumptions and ideas.” (2007) This process enables learners to learn about the learning process and gain critical thinking skills. Students should research the topic being studied to gain additional information and therefore improving their research skills.
Collaboration
In an online learning environment, the expectation is that students will work together. Working together should enable students to gain a deeper level of understanding of the material and a more critical examination of the materials being studied. Students who willing participate in the group as the collaborator help facilitate collaboration in the group. Collaboration should occur within the course site through a study session or discussion regarding a topic. Students can also collaborate by providing critical feedback to one another about topics of the course. Collaboration can occur between learning communities if an instructor is teaching multiple sections of a course. This type of collaboration would increase the resources that are available to the groups.
Process Management
“The role of process manager is the one that most significantly sets online teaching and learning apart form the face-to-face classroom.” (2007) Process managers become responsible for clarifying tough questions and speak up if the course is moving in an uncomfortable direction that other group members may not want to address. “Process managers will also point out any inconsistencies in instructions give, seek to clarify assignments, and generally take responsibility for ensure that the course moves along smoothly.” (2007)
It is important for the instructor and participants in an online learning environment to remain flexible and remember that all participants are in it together.
The Hybrid Course and Online Community
Hybrid course are also known as blended courses because they may be conducted partially face-to-face and online which make these types of class very flexible for the learner and instructor. Various combinations of course material can be addresses in face-to-face meetings or be reserved for online meetings to reduce the number of face-to-face meetings. How does community fit in a hybrid course? “A study conducted by Rovai and Jordan found the sense of community in a hybrid course can actually be stronger because of a reduced sense of isolation created by even occasional face-to-face contact.” (2007) Another result of the study found that the success of a combination of online learning is a direct result of the instructor as a facilitator.
Part 2—Teaching and Learning in the Virtual Learning Community
Chapter 7: Building Foundations
The remaining chapters of this book will focus on the details of the online learning process and how to create a successful course. Creating an appropriate syllabus, setting objectives, negotiating guidelines, setting up a course outline, encouraging participation, and accountability for presence in an online classroom, these are all aspects that will be examined in this chapter.
Creating an Effective Course Design
A common mistake that is made by instructors is referred to as curriculum conversion. Curriculum conversion is taking the same face-to-face curriculum and putting it online without making many adjustments. Teaching online requires the conversion of teaching methodology which changes our pedagogy.
Four basic steps are involved in creating an effective syllabus for an online course. Though these steps are similar to the steps taken to create an effective face-to-face syllabus, but it is important start the steps new and not move from one medium to another.
(1) defining outcomes and objectives
(2) choosing appropriate reading material, assignments, and tasks
(3) establishing a topic-driven course outline
(4) developing and aligning assessment of activities with outcomes and objectives (p. 130, 2007)
Defining Outcomes and Objectives
Curriculum design should begin with the end in mind. “In an online course, the syllabus is deliberately left more open to allow students to develop new ideas, exercise critical-thinking skills, and develop research skills.” (p. 130, 2007) It is important for the instructor to consider expected outcomes and competencies to be shown by the students. Competencies may include items that you want students to be able to do at the completion of the course, for example, debug a computer program or write a publishable article.
Choosing Appropriate Reading Material, Assignments, and Tasks
As part of creating the course syllabus, the topics for discussion, participation expectations, assessment of class activities, and assignments but it is not necessary to have a detailed outline of materials to be discussed in each course meeting. Creating an outline of broad topics and questions for consideration while allow students to explore topics. A common strategy is to structure the weekly outline of the class around required readings to create a discussion.
Establishing a Topic-Driven Course
For topics that require hands-on exploration such as science, art, and music, may require a mini-lecture format conducted by the instructor and requires students to complete a problem (individually or as a group) and submit the results to the instructor. “Some instructors provide supplementary material on video or CD-ROM, to which students can then respond online.” (p. 138, 2007) Some instructors use companion websites with web-based activities and scanned art work as examples supplemental media activities that enable students to view, discuss, and share as topic discussions.
Course Activities
The course activities that are directly connected to the course objectives and competencies are critical parts of the online course. The course delivery is what sets apart an online class from a face-to-face class. Carr-Chellman and Duschastel (2001) discuss the importance of the activities in an online course does not “teach,” but instead makes resources and activities available that allow student to explore the content together in an effective manner (p. 138, 2007)
Fishbowl activity allows a small group of students to practice a skill while being observed and encouraged by the instructor and others in the class (p. 138, 2007). In the online environment, the fishbowl is setup on the discussion board within the course management software. The optional uses of the fishbowl include the small group interacting with the instructor while the other members of the class observe or the groups interacting with one another while the instructor observes. Group assignments such as surveys can be included as follow up activities to the fishbowl.
To address different learning styles in the online learning environment, instructors should offer choice in activities. For example, if students need to prepare a paper for the class, the instructor can offer two options for the final paper such as theory and personal application watch a film related to the topic and apply the theory learned, or a small group collaborative project. Studies have found that the element of choice enhances the learning process and sense of social presence, satisfaction level of the class, and is a matte of learning style and individual preference (p. 143, 2007).
Course Guidelines
“It is extremely important to begin the class with clear guidelines for acceptable participation.” (p. 143, 2007) Stating how often participants are to log on and what they are expected to accomplish during their log on time is specific details that the participants and instructor must make clear at the beginning of the course. Participants must understand that a post is a substantive contribution to the discussion, wherein a student either comments on other posts or begins a new topic (p. 144, 2007). These participation guidelines are usually the first discussion topic and are provided in the syllabus.
It is just as important for the instructor to address what the students can expect from him or her throughout the course, as it is to address the expectations the instructor has of the students. The instructor must also consider the educational level of the participants and propose guidelines accordingly. Generally, undergraduate participants need more structure provided in the guidelines while graduate level students require less structure.
Constructing the Online Course Site
“The online course site provides the organizational structure through which participants can engage with the course material being investigated and with one another.” (p. 144, 2007) The institution’s policies and the software chosen to deliver the course determines how the site will be constructed. “Regardless of the software application used or the type of course taught, we routinely build the following elements into the course site:
· A welcome area, which includes a place for important announcements or additional guidelines
· A social area or forum on the discussion board where group members can interact on a personal level
· Course content areas, organized according to the way the syllabus was constructed
· An area or forum on the discussion board devoted to reflections on learning and the course evaluation
· An area or forum for student questions
· A separate area for assignments and exams or for posting assignments as discussion items (p.147, 2007)
The discussion board area of the site is the core of the online course, it is important that is it constructed in a well-organized manner. Instructors who are new to online teaching struggle to construct the discussion board area of the site. As instructors gain experience with constructing and organizing the site, it is important to remember the better organized the site the more likely participants will interact with the technology. As stated previously, the technology of the site should be transparent or part of the background of the course which enables participants to participate actively in the course materials.
If You Build It, Will They Come?
What strategies can be used by instructors to get students of the course to be participants in the course? Some in an online course interact with the instructor, but not with their classmates and other students do not participate at all. These are some strategies to incorporate in building your online course to ensure students will be willing participants in the course:
A suggestion made by the authors is to begin an online course with Week 0, which is a week devoted to learning the course site and technology, introducing yourself to the group, and establishing what each individual’s learning objectives are for the course. In other words, Week 0 is the first week and it does not involve any course materials. Humor is a valuable tool to use to address the “human” side of learners and help encourage participants to become active.
Guiding Questions to Assist in Building an Effective Course Syllabus
Evaluating an Effective Online Course
It is important to remember in the online teaching environment that it your teaching methodologies that may need to change to accommodate the online learning environment, not necessarily the course curriculum.
See pages 153-155 for guiding questions and evaluations of effective course design.
Chapter 8: Promoting Collaborative Learning
Collaboration is a critical component of the online learning environment. As individuals learn to collaboratively participate as a group collaboration they gain a deeper understanding of knowledge and transform from independence to interdependence with in the group. Interdependence enables to the group build community which promotes individuals successes as success as a group.
Collaboration can help overcome feelings of isolation that are experienced by students in an online learning environment. Collaborative activities are purposely designed to connect learners which enable learners to share ideas and receive feedback. “If students understand from the beginning of the course that “we’re all in this together”, then incorporating collaborative activities into the course happens much more easily.” (p. 159, 2007)
Formulating a Shared Goal for Learning
Shared goals are an important part of face-to-face and online communities. In an online course, the participants should be encouraged by the instructor to negotiate guidelines to establish learning objectives that will lead to meeting the goals of the course.
The following techniques can be used by the instructor to formulate shared goals for learning:
Negotiating Guidelines
Posting Introductions and Learning Expectations
Encouraging Comment on Introductions
Forming Teams and Posting Guidelines for Their Performance
Problems, Interests, and Experiences as Springboards for Learning
Developing Assignments Related to Real-Life Situations
Dialogue as Inquiry
Encouraging Expansive Questioning
Sharing Responsibility for Facilitation
Sharing the responsibility for facilitation with the participants in the class actively engages the learners in the learning process, which is a goal of online learning.
The roles that students might take in an online course include:
· Facilitator of the discussion
· Process observer, commenting on group dynamics
· Content commentator, summarizing the group’s learning over the previous week
· Team leader
· Presenter on a particular topic, book, or area of interest (p. 173, 2007)
When the participants are responsible for facilitating, the instructor should be willing to give up control of the direction and content of the discussion and be a participating member of the group.
Promoting Feedback
Providing thoughtful and constructive feedback to one another must be a requirement of an online learning course. “The ability to give meaningful feedback, which helps others think about the work they have produced, is not a naturally acquired skill. It must be taught, modeled, and encouraged by the instructor” (p. 176, 2007) For many students, creating, giving, and receiving substantive feedback is a new experience and may experience conflict with this type of feedback. Students should remember that comments are directed at their ideas and presentation and should not be taken personally. Through constructive feedback students should be able to construct a collaborative view of the material being discussed which goes beyond both their initial presentations of the materials.
Intergroup and Other Forms of Collaboration
The Internet is a wealth of information from across the globe. “Exposure to some of these individuals and groups can provide student with a deeper understanding of the subject they are studying, allow them to develop greater facility with online research, and create connections that can serve them long after a course ends.” (p. 180, 2007) Instructor should incorporate assignments that require students to find websites that relate to the course topic and create an assignment such a paper and post the paper to the course for discussion. This type of assignment encourages students to explore the Internet in order to promote collaboration with other learning communities online. Instructors can also encourage collaboration between two sections of the same course that he or she is teaching by requiring students to interact and collaborate with members of the other group regarding a specific topic or collaboration can occur through another university class that is focusing on the same course topics.
Resource Sharing
Collaborative Writing
Other Forms of Collaboration
Chapter 9: Transformative Learning
This chapter will focus on the “real” learning that takes place through participation in an online course. Transformative learning is real learning because it represents a self-reflective process.
Jack Mezirow (1990, 1991, 2000) coined the term transformative learning to refer to learning that is based on reflection and on the interpretation of the experiences, ideas, and assumptions gained through prior learning (p. 185, 2007). “The goal of transformative learning is to understand why we see the world the way we do and to shake off the constraints of the limiting perspectives we have carried with us into the learning experience.” (p.185, 2007) Participants should be encouraged to explore how learning online if different and how interacting with technology enables the learner to learn about technology. Participants should also be encouraged to self reflect on the on the online learning process through questioning. Reflection is also referred to as double loop learning when the learner evaluated their role in the learning process and how they contribute to the process.
The Process of Transformative Learning in the Online Classroom
It is usually not stated at the beginning of an online course that students will become part of a learning community and that transformation will be the result of the course. Therefore, students will grow academically and personally.
· Students will encounter disorienting dilemmas which are dilemmas that cause the learner to critically assess distortions in the areas of the nature and use of knowledge, belief systems related to power and social relationships
· Students will encounter psychic distortions or presuppositions that cause anxiety and inaction
· Instructor should gradually make students aware of the transformative learning process as the course progresses, and as a result the learners become aware of their increasing competence and independence rather than simply remaining a participant in the learning process
· “Personal growth become a companion to intellectual growth as the student assumes greater responsibility for the learning process, competence, authority, self confidence, and an overall sense of mastery and power.” (p. 187, 2007)
Reviewing the Process
“The results of the transformative learning process are the student’s ability to stay focused on a position or idea or to achieve a shift in paradigm, thereby adopting a new view of the same idea.” (p. 190, 2007)
Making Room for the Process in the Online Classroom
“In order to encourage this level of inquiry, a space needs to be created in the learning process in which it can occur.” (p. 191, 2007) Two areas can be deliberately created in the course site, one area for online reflection and another for self reflection. Instructors can ask questions that encourage student reflections as part of an ongoing discussion.
Learning About Learning Through the use of Technology
It is important for the instructor to point out to the students that the technology medium they are using allows the reflective process to happen. This opens a new area of inquiry about what we are learning about learning by using technology. “Transformative learning is not easy; in fact, it may be somewhat painful for some. Just recognizing that it is different and the “I function differently here” is important to the learning process, allowing students to proceed with courage and compassion, even though the going may be difficult.” (p. 193, 2007)
Creating Opportunities to Encourage Reflection on the Differences
Learning about Technology by Using it
Students who participate in online learning cannot help but improve their ability to use technology in the following ways: word processing, logging on to the Internet and using a browser, and use synchronous tools. By the end of an online course, students should feel more confident about using technology and more likely to try using advanced forms of technology. The use of technology that is transparent and easy to master will allow learners of all technology levels to find success in online learning courses.
Encouraging Questions and Comments about the Technology
Instructors should encourage students to ask question about software use and other technical questions. Students who respond to other student’s technical questions usually give the best responses that provide encouragement and advice. “As students support each other with their growing technical expertise, this promotes a feeling that everyone is in this thing together.” (p. 196, 2007) When ongoing problems occur that seem to be unsolvable, it is important for the instructor to encourage phone or e-mail contact to resolve these concerns. “Learning about technology by using it becomes one of the desired learning outcomes for an online course.” (p. 198, 2007)
Self-Reflection
Transformative learning cannot occur without self reflection. Self reflection is about who you are as a person. Has that perception of yourself changed since I have participated in an online course? As an online course progresses, the learners will look back on history of their online learning course and comment on the differences from the beginning to the end of the process. Reflection does not end after looking at the history of the course, it begins by looking ahead to the future and how the online learning process with affect the learner. Keeping a private or public journal can help with the reflective process.
The Reflective Process
The reflection processes needs to answer the following questions:
Questions need to be asked throughout the course and should be used as part of the evaluation process because it helps us determine if we have reached our learning objectives. The idea of the reflective process is to examine the new views of yourself and take yourself into future learning experiences and experience greater success because you feel empowered and confident.
Final Thoughts: We are the experts when it comes to our own learning
“When students are empowered to become experts at their own learning, they cannot help but be transformed as people.” (p. 202, 2007) Transformative learning is one of the most exciting aspects of online because it enables expand their knowledge of technology, themselves as learners, and build confidence in learners. Transformative learning can be incorporate into an online course for assessment of the course and individual performance of the learners.
Chapter 10: Student Assessment and Course Evaluation
In order to continuously improve online courses, it is important to assess and evaluate the coarse content, quality of instruction, and technology being used.
Assessment and Evaluation Basics
“Course and student progress evaluation generally take two forms: formative and summative evaluation. Formative evaluation is an ongoing process that can occur at any point throughout the course; it can surface gaps in course material or in learners’ ability to grasp that material. Summative evaluation assesses the completed course and is most often the model of evaluation used in academic institutions.” (p. 205, 2007)
Summative evaluation should not be the sole means used to evaluate an online course. A formative and summative approach to evaluation must be used to evaluate an online course. Formative assessment enables the evaluation of the instructor’s reflection on the course material and the learner as part of the learning process. Summative evaluation helps the instructor evaluate the extent to which the course objectives were met.
Student Performance
Evaluation of student performance should be based on several criteria including quantity of posts and quality of participation. The purpose of student assessment is to support and provide feedback that will enable students to continue learning and achieving success in the course.
Using Dialogue as a Source of Evaluative Material
“The dialogue generated in an online course can be a rich source of evaluation material if an instructor remains alert to its presence, seeking examples as they appear.” (p.207, 2007) Scanning student posts for material related to course content and reflection, as well as instructor generated questions are all forms of assessment that will evaluate course effectiveness and student performance. The following is an example question generated by an instructor in an undergraduate class, “The book states that conflict between groups is inevitable and that the conflict will be either positive or negative. Do you believe that if I put this group back into the face-to-face classroom that there would be conflict? What steps could I take to build a cohesive them if this happened?” (p. 207, 2007)
Assessing Student Assignments
Instructors are concerned about cheating and plagiarism in the online environment as with face-to-face instruction. Although research has shown that most online students are adults that are not interested in using some other student’s work, some institutions have adopted plagiarism detection service to scan student papers for evidence of plagiarism. Taking proactive steps to avoid cheating and plagiarism are more effective than overreacting and denying their existence in an online course. These proactive steps included the instructor’s ability to create varied assignments that promote critical thinking and are designed to promote collaboration and therefore, reduce most students’ desire to cheat.
One means of grading student assignments is by frequently asking students to self assess part of the closure process. Group work that was completed in the class may have been designed so that the team leader graded each of the team members. Course guidelines that were established at the beginning of the course should be examined to weight the importance of each type of assessment. “In a class that relies heavily on discussion, the quality and quantity of student posts become assessment material.” (p. 210, 2007) If instructors intend on using unique methods of assessment such as laboratory exercises, videotapes, CD-ROMs, and simulations, they should plan for these activities in advance and consider making these materials a condition of enrollment in the course.
Using Collaborative Assessment
“Students should be asked to assess their own performance and to receive feedback from each other throughout the course.” (p. 212, 2007) On-going feedback will enable students to self assess and readjust their work accordingly. “Consequently, students’ self assessment regarding the amount of learning gained and learning objectives achieved is often just as important, or more so, than the instructor’s opinion of their work.” (p. 213, 2007) It is important to assess collaborative projects collaboratively. Instructors can all members of a project assess their work, as well as the contributions of their teammates. These scores can then be average into the final grade for the assignment.
Aligning Assessment with Course Design
“One critical factor in assessment that is often overlooked is the need to link course design and assessment.” (p. 216, 2007) The instructor’s choice of assessment should match the type of assignments chosen for the course as well as the learning objectives that are expected to be achieved. Authentic assessment and simulated real-life application of material can help achieve alignment because the outcomes of the course. Learner satisfaction is directly related to the alignment of assessment in an online course.
Course Evaluation
Traditional course evaluation forms are focused on determining whether the students enjoyed the instructor and the course. The online course outcomes that need to be measured by a course evaluation are more diverse than simply whether students liked the course and instructor. What are the elements of a good course evaluation in the online environment?
Program Evaluation
Another important component to evaluate is the online program itself. It is essential to receive feedback from participants on their overall experience of working online through the institution. The core of this evaluation is to determine the value of the educational program being offered. Consider the following components in the evaluation process: